


Educating Arthur

by shadowglove88



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-04
Updated: 2015-04-13
Packaged: 2018-02-16 02:05:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 18,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2251797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowglove88/pseuds/shadowglove88
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a family from Camelot move to Ealdor after King Uther is defeated by Sir Agravaine, the people of Ealdor are suspicious and highly unwelcoming towards the newcomers. In contrast, Merlin doesn't mind Gaius' family, but maybe he's just blinded by his enjoyment in teasing the youngest one, a prat named Arthur, who seems quite incompetent at things any normal person could do, something Merlin takes great joy in telling him, repeatedly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

There were a lot of reasons why Merlin had never left Ealdor, his magic was only one of them. The people of Ealdor knew about it, and Essetir favored magic, and he knew that he'd be fine while in its borders. Another reason why Merlin hadn't left had been his mother. He was her only child, and that while she tried not to show it, she needed him. She had tried sending him to Camelot once upon a time ago (aka last year), but he'd put his foot down. There was no way that he'd go and leave his mother alone when there were bandits like Kanen still out there terrorizing everyone. Then again, Kanen's army hadn't bothered Ealdor, not since the attack after Merlin's sixteenth birthday in which he'd hit Hunith. Merlin hadn't forgiven that, and the brigands had hardly made it out of the small village with their lives. They'd been seen around the villages close to Ealdor, had continued terrorizing the surrounding area, but they never even rode within sight of Ealdor again.

The people of Ealdor had been somewhat wary of Merlin's powers before that incident, but afterwards they'd welcomed the powerful boy with open arms, fully trusting finally that he wouldn't use his magic to hurt them and instead protect them. Since that attack Ealdor began to prosper now that it didn't have Kanen and his army taking their money and crops, and the people were happy, less afraid. Ealdor wasn't a bad place to live in, and Merlin soon forgot about his mother's desire to send him to Camelot. He honestly didn't understand that desire and didn't want to follow her wishes, even if only on this subject. Why would he leave all this and go to a place that executed people like him?

Merlin found himself the unofficial protector of Ealdor, and the town prospered without any help or attention from Cenred or the rest of Essetir. They almost seemed like their own little independent realm within the kingdom, the only proof that they actually belonged to Essetir were the taxes they paid annually. They had their own governing system, their own defense (which, to be honest, was just Merlin) and their own rules.

Wars happened around them and they didn't pay them any mind, it had nothing to do with them. Life in Ealdor was all about Ealdor and its people, as it should be. And that was why, when new people arrived in Ealdor, it was a big deal, and the people treated the newcomers with extreme suspicion.

Gwaine and Lancelot had caused quite the stir when they'd arrived (at separate times) and decided to stay. Most of the villagers hadn't mingled with them, had quite ostracized them, until the two men proved their worth (and quite a couple of the women fell in love with them). Now they were an accepted part of the community, and the cause of much entertainment considering the fights the women had over them. Scandalous, the villagers would whisper, and yet would live for each and every scandalous happening.

Now, though, neither Gwaine nor Lancelot were the ones the villagers had their eyes on.

"I tell you, there is something off about those newcomers." Will narrowed his eyes as he watched the house of the group who'd moved in a week or so ago. A family, they'd called themselves, but none of them truly looked related and their ages were very close. How exactly they were related no one knew for sure, and they were being secretive enough to have people asking, whispering, coming up with conclusions of their own. "I do not trust them."

"You do not trust anyone." Merlin nevertheless looked up from where he was reading a book and gazed at the two girls that formed part of the new "family". One girl was fair skinned with raven locks and clear eyes, the other dark skinned and haired, with honey-brown eyes. "Say what you want about them, but I would think that you would enjoy the view."

Will scoffed before he sent them a little covert look. "They are not… hard… on the eyes."

Rolling his eyes, Merlin nodded in the girls' direction when they caught his eye.

They nodded to him and continued on their way, whispering to each other.

"Stop fraternizing with the enemy," Will pouted.

"They are not the enemy." Sometimes his friend was horribly melodramatic for his own good. "They are pretty girls."

Will watched them go before he cleared his throat and returned his gaze to Merlin. "What about the guys? Huh?"

Okay, he would give Will that. The three men, Arthur, Elyan and Leon, were all suspicious in their own ways. Elyan because he hardly spoke a word to anyone, Leon because he was such a subservient person to Arthur, and Arthur had to be the most arrogant prat Merlin had ever met. If it wasn't for the fact that they'd moved to Ealdor with Gauis (Merlin was still trying to understand how they were related to each other and to him), and Gaius had been Hunith's tutor whom she trusted and vouched for, well, Merlin didn't think the village would've put up with these newcomers.

Speaking of the newcomers, Merlin cocked his head to the side as he watched Arthur emerge from the hut that the group were sharing. It was far too small for the number of people under its roof, and while usually the village would get together to help build a new section of a home for a growing family in their community, the village had yet to truly accept these newcomers as a part of their community, so they stayed idly by and did not help. Will wasn't the only one who felt this group had secrets, and in a place like Ealdor secrets were not seen in a favorable light.

"What if they are spies from Cenred?" Will turned to Merlin. "What if he has heard about how we are prospering and has sent these people here to spy on us and figure out our secret to success?" He looked genuinely worried. "They might take you away, Merlin."

"Will, they're from Camelot, not the capital."

Will pursed his lips. "Makes them even more suspicious if you ask me. Why are they here? Why jump ship?"

"Well, we are not at war like Camelot is." Merlin gave a shrug of his shoulders. "The royal family were overthrown, remember? Camelot is in an upheaval. It makes sense that its people would try and relocate somewhere where there is no conflict."

Will appeared quite put out that Merlin had great answers to his questions. He loved conflict and intrigue. "You take the joy out my life, Merlin."

"I am sure I do." Patting Will on his back, Merlin left his best friend where he was and walked towards Arthur, who was struggling in an attempt to chop wood. It was as if he'd never done this act before, then again, if he was family to Gaius he'd probably had some fancy position in the Camelot castle before it fell. "You are doing it wrong."

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "I am not."

Seriously. This was the mouthiest brat he'd ever met. "Of course. You are doing it correctly. That is why you are not getting anywhere with the chopping."

Arthur flushed, both in anger and embarrassment. "So, oh great woodchopper, what am I doing wrong?"

"You are chopping it with the wrong part of the blade and aiming on the wrong part of the wood." Merlin held out his hand and received the axe the blonde reluctantly passed him. He demonstrated the precise way to do it, with the log of wood splitting in half. "Now you try."

Arthur frowned, grabbed another piece of wood, and positioned it as Merlin had showed him. He swung, hit the wood, and it split in half. A grin suddenly spread throughout his face as he turned to face Merlin. "See! I told you I knew how to do this!"

Despite it all Merlin felt amused as he eyed the sparkling-eyed blonde. "Of course."

Leon emerged from the house, his eyes wide in horror. "Your—Arthur." He cleared his throat. "I can do this."

"So can I." Arthur sent him a glare over his shoulder. "I can chop wood just like everyone else."

"Yes, but—." Leon tried but stopped when he saw that glare darken. "I—I will be inside."

Merlin watched him go, his curiosity as to Leon's personality ever-growing. "He is a protective… brother?"

"Leon is my cousin, not my brother." Arthur's gaze ventured to the split wood. "Morgana is my sister, and Elyan and Guinevere are also our cousins."

Ah, they were mostly cousins. This made it more believable.

"I envy you for the large family, it is only my mother and I." Merlin eyed Arthur thoughtfully, curiously, before he realized that Gwaine was stumbling around drunkenly despite the fact that it was the middle of the day. Arthur opened his mouth, but Merlin didn't notice, his attention already fixed on Gwaine. "Well, I shall leave you to it." With that he went to scold his friend and help him back to his hut to sleep off his drunken stupor.

* * *

 

"I am in love with the fair Guinevere."

Merlin looked up at the ever-sincere face of Lancelot and wondered why the young man thought he needed to actually tell Merlin this. It was more than obvious from the way Lancelot had started to help the new family, had ingratiated himself with the males, and had started to bring Guinevere flowers every single day. But it was also obvious that Lancelot thought it necessary to actually verbalize his feelings which were, for some reason, torturing him.

"She is such a rare flower, a kinder individual there is none other." Lancelot took a sip of his meade. "Who am I to think myself worthy of her favor?"

"She is an exceptionally nice girl, I agree, but I do not understand your feelings of inferiority." Merlin tilted his head to the side. "She is nothing but a common wench. She is not a princess or a queen. She would be lucky to have you love her." He took a sip of his own meade, but only a little. He did not have much of a tolerance for alcohol and things tended to get explosive when he became drunk. "It would also serve her family good as your tie to them would strengthen their stand in the villagers' eyes."

"Your people are a suspicious bunch," Lancelot admitted thoughtfully. "If I can win her favor, if her family would honor me by giving me their blessing to court her, I would be the luckiest man to have ever walked this earth."

There really wasn't anything to say to that, was there? Merlin merely smiled and clapped his friend on his shoulder.

Lancelot read the encouragement there and smiled. "Thank you Merlin."

"I have not done anything." Merlin leaned back in his seat. "But if yonder fair maiden has truly won your heart, and if you truly see yourself with her, then you have my approval and my support. If I can help in this endeavor in any way, please, let me know."

"Thank you." Lancelot looked over at the other table, where Elyan and Arthur drank by themselves, ostracized by the rest of the villagers, who merely watched them over their drinks. "If you could entertain Arthur while I speak to Elyan, I would be grateful."

Merlin turned his gaze over at the other table and was surprised to catch Arthur's gaze, before the blonde quickly looked away. "If I must."

Lancelot laughed and clapped his shoulder. "Come. Let us go."

Drink still in hand, Merlin was waylaid by a couple of the villagers and exchanged pleasantries with them before he and Lancelot finally reached the table. Lancelot asked Elyan if he could speak to him outside, and Elyan sent Arthur a little look before he nodded and left with Lancelot. Merlin plopped down on the seat Elyan had vacated and took another small sip of his meade before he sent Arthur another look to find the blonde studiously ignoring him.

Intrigued, Merlin rested his goblet on the table. "You till the soil incorrectly."

Arthur's mouth parted and he turned to look at Merthur in utter indignation. "I do not!"

"You do." Merlin took another sip and looked away.

Arthur's mouth opened and closed several times before he glared at Merlin. "How exactly am I tilling the soil incorrectly?"

"I am glad you asked." Merlin turned his cheeky smile on the blonde. "The way you hold the plow strains your back more than it has to. Also, most people actually use their oxen for that sort of work."

"We do not have oxen." Arthur delivered that line as if he were calling Merlin a simpleton.

"Which is why you can borrow ours." Merlin enjoyed Arthur's shock. "I will even show you how to harness them and plow correctly."

Arthur opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it once more. "I do not do it incorrectly."

"Of course not."

He cleared his throat. "But we would appreciate the use of your oxen."

"Of course you would."

Arthur glared at him.

Merlin merely smiled in amusement and looked up when Elyan and a beaming Lancelot arrived. He stood from Elyan's chair, nodded in Arthur's direction, and clapped Lancelot's back as they walked away, Lancelot excitedly telling him the good news.

* * *

 

"Is he planning on marrying her?"

Merlin looked up at Morgana and then followed her gaze to where Lancelot and Guinevere were smiling happily at each other.

"Because if he is only toying with her heart I will cut off his testicles with a very dull blade and feed them to the pigs." The look on her face promised that those were not mere words but that she would follow through with her threat. She intrigued him immensely.

"I was about to ask you the same about your cousin," Merlin admitted. "If she is only using him to keep from being bored, or to feed her ego, I would prefer to know now so as to save him unnecessary heartbreak."

Morgana looked shocked at the question. "Gwen would never string a gentleman along! She truly has feelings for him!"

Merlin stared up into Morgana's face and saw the truth there. "As he has for her."

Morgana narrowed her eyes on him before she too seemed to see the truth and smirked. "Well, at least I am relieved that it is Lancelot who is courting her, and not that outrageous scoundrel, Gwaine."

Merlin laughed. "I am too!"

Morgana smiled at him. "You are one of the only people who has been welcoming to us since we came here."

Merlin watched her and didn't try to deny that. "We take care of our own. It just takes a while for the villagers to decide whether you are one of our own or not."

She nodded in understanding. "I do not blame them." With that she turned and walked away, her head held high and her grace that of a queen. She truly was wasted on a small village like Ealdor. Merlin was sure that she had fit in well in Camelot.

"Do not even contemplate it," a voice announced behind him. "Unlike Elyan, I am not going to give anyone permission to court my sister."

Merlin smirked as he turned to see Arthur glaring at him. "I have a feeling that even if you did not wish it, your sister would do whatever she pleased."

Arthur glared harder at him. "I forbid you from even contemplating my sister in a romantic way."

He laughed at the thought of Arthur forbidding him. He gave a mock bow. "As you command, Your Highness."

Arthur paled and quickly looked away. "Do not mock me."

"But you make it so easy," Merlin teased.

The boy pouted darkly as his eyes returned to Merlin to glare at him. He turned and began to walk away.

Merlin couldn't help himself, he really couldn't. "You are hunting in the wrong place."

Arthur froze, tensed, and then turned and stormed back towards Merlin. "If there is one thing I know it is hunting! You cannot—!"

"There is quail in the forest to our right. The one to our left is cursed." Merlin could see the questions in Arthur's eyes, questions he'd never ask out of pure pride. "The villagers know this." But, of course, they wouldn't share this information with the new family. "If you instead start to hunt in the forest to our right, you will have better luck."

Arthur narrowed his eyes at him. "You enjoy this."

"I am merely informing you of things which will be of use to you and your family." Merlin could not keep the grin off of his face. "I am a helpful person."

"Oh, I am sure you are." Arthur's voice was so annoyed it was sinfully amusing. "Is there anything else I am supposedly doing wrong that you feel I should know?"

"There are too many things to list them right now," Merlin's grin was so large it hurt.

Arthur glared at him, made a little growl, and stormed away.

Merlin watched him go, that grin growing.

* * *

 

The wedding of Lancelot du Lac to Guinevere was quick but surprising to none who had actually seen them together. With her marriage to Lancelot, and subsequent moving into his house, Guinevere was fully accepted into the village and through her, her family was somewhat more accepted as well. It wasn't to say that Gaius' family were the most popular people, but now at least they were spoken to more than merely watched. Gauis had become the town's physician, and that had helped the villagers accept him and his family a bit more as well, even though some of the more suspicious villagers still refused to go to him to be treated for their various illnesses.

None rejoiced more over Lancelot's marriage than Gwaine, who comforted all of the broken hearted women who had lost Lancelot to Guinevere. He was truly enjoying himself too much, and Merlin felt the need to remind him that one day he'd mess up and leave one of his conquests with child and he'd be forced to take responsibility. That had sobered Gwaine quite a bit, and he'd looked at Merlin accusingly for days because he'd "ruined his fun".

Arthur had started hunting in the forest to their right, and was now catching quite a lot. He beamed with obvious pride every time he came back with something new with which to feed his family, and had forbidden Elyan and Leon from joining him on his hunts, something which Elyan took in stride, but obviously bothered Leon. Then again, Elyan's free time and attention was taken by Will's sister, something Will was not happy about in the least. But Will really couldn't say anything because his sister would probably kill him if he tried to get in the way of her epic romance. Sophia was scary like that. She would spend the time outside the small hut Elyan had transformed into a smithy (apparently his and Guinevere's father had been a blacksmith in Camelot before its fall and had taught his son the trade) and even convinced the villagers to try his ware by convincing them that by doing so they gained even more independence from the rest of Essetir. It helped that Elyan was very good at what he did. The villagers began to accept him more, as they had Guinevere and Gaius.

Will had still very much on the fence concerning Elyan, not at all happy with his courting his sister, and then Elyan found out Will's weakness for topiary and that was that. He designed special tools for Will so that he could shape the bushes around his house into even more ornate designs, and Will was suddenly on Elyan's side, berating Sophia for not being "good enough" for the blacksmith and that she needed to "treat him better".

It was the surprise of none when Elyan soon married Sophia, and the village got together to help build them a cottage of their own. It was a big deal that they did this, it proved to all how accepted Elyan had become by the village. Merlin enjoyed the house-building, helped in it, and found pleasure in informing Arthur of all the things he was doing wrong. Arthur, of course, was not grateful for the multiple corrections and they spent the next couple of days arguing nonstop. It really made the whole experience entertaining for the warlock.

"Merlin, you really need to stop teasing that poor boy," his mother tutted as she served their food that night at their home.

"I am not teasing him." Merlin tried for innocent. "I am merely educating him."

"Merlin, please, you are like a little boy pulling the braids of a girl." Hunith raised an eyebrow. "If you like the boy that much, you should just court him."

Merlin choked on his gulp of water and pounded his hand into his chest. "Court him? Mother, have you had too much sun today?"

Hunith tutted once more. "It is no surprise that you favor your own gender, Merlin. Everyone knows that."

He shook his head. "I do not 'favor' my own gender. I just choose to find people attractive due to their personality and not their gender." He pursed his lips. "I do not find Arthur's personality attractive in the least bit."

"Of course you do not." Hunith smirked.

That look on his mother's face was chilling, and he didn't say anything else the whole night.

* * *

 

Despite the fact that he did not like Arthur, his mother's words haunted him and Merlin could see why she'd come to that conclusion. It was why he decided to stop "educating" Arthur and instead leave the boy to his own devices. It wasn't as if Arthur actually appreciated the help he was getting anyway. Merlin busied himself with tending to things at his own home, and he ignored any of his mother's attempts to bring up how Arthur was or anything else about that family. In fact, he managed to unknowingly avoid Arthur for a good two weeks. He even forgot he was avoiding the boy as he threw himself into working the land, fixing up the house, and then helping with the preparations for the festival.

It was only the second day of helping with the preparations that he came face to face with Arthur.

"I am here to help." Arthur let out a deep breath. "Both of us are."

Leon had already grabbed some wood and listened to Freya as she stuttered out what he needed to do.

Arthur, instead, stood in front of Merlin.

Merlin looked up, his gaze went to Leon, and then returned to Arthur. "Ask Freya, she will let you know what they need help with." With that he looked down and continued with what he was doing.

Arthur made a little annoyed sound and stormed over to where the girl was. He returned a little later with some things and set them down near Merlin. He then began to stumble through what he was doing. Every couple of minutes he'd send Merlin a little look before he continued on trying to figure out what he was doing.

Curious, Merlin sent Arthur little looks when the boy wasn't looking in his direction. He realized that Arthur had been given one of the smaller wicker effigies to construct. Arthur obviously had no idea what he was doing and was messing up. Merlin opened his mouth to correct him and then closed it and continued with what he was doing.

Arthur finally growled and turned to look at him. "This is idiotic."

Merlin looked at him and then down at the mess at his feet. "You are doing it wrong." At Arthur's scathing look, he couldn't stop his chuckle as he put down what he was doing and moved to show him how exactly one was supposed to construct the small wicker effigy. "It is a little tricky, but once you do it a couple of times it becomes second nature."

Arthur merely watched him in silence.

"Did they not have celebrations such as this in Camelot?"

Arthur shook his head. "The Old Religion is banned. Any such custom we might have had was long lost."

"I'm sorry to hear that." The Old Religion was such an integral part of Ealdor custom that Merlin couldn't imagine a lifestyle in which it didn't exist.

"I am not." Arthur frowned. "Magic is evil."

Ah, he really was a Camelot boy, wasn't he? Merlin smirked and shook his head as he levitated the effigy and finished it via magic. He could hear the silence from Arthur, the boy obviously shocked. "You're wrong." And with that he walked away.

* * *

 

Now it was Arthur who avoided him, and it admittedly stung a little, but Merlin tried not to take it to heart. He merely continued helping with the preparations of the festival, and took care of everything else as well. There were rumors of unrest happening around the kingdom, and villages surrounding Ealdor had been hosts to some very unscrupulous characters. It was why Merlin kept an eye on the horizon as much as he could, and while once a couple of days ago, he'd seen a rider on the hill overlooking the village, no one had actually ventured into the village. He hoped it continued this way.

"I think it is unrest from Camelot spewing into our territory," Gwaine announced with a frown, his distaste for the country obvious in his tone as he helped Merlin and some of the other men raise the large wicker man which would be burnt as an offering to the gods. Within it, fruits and grains, as well as assorted tokens, have been placed as personal offerings.

"It could be likely," Lancelot agreed with a grunt from the other side. "They may have overthrown their tyrannical, and mad king, and King Agravaine now sits upon the throne, but there are those who say that Uther's heir escaped with his life. These people we have heard about might be King Agravaine's men searching for the young heir as he could one day try to recuperate his father's throne."

"Well, I hope that never happens." Will's face was red from his effort. "Uther Pendragon was the worst thing that could've happened to Camelot, and his son would be just as bad in my opinion."

"Hear, hear!" Gwaine turned to Lancelot. "You are married to a woman who used to work in the Camelot court, did she not tell you anything about the situation there?"

Lancelot shook his head. "Dear Guinevere does not like to speak of her time there, neither of their escape. All I know is that all those who worked in the castle were in danger, as they were seen as faithful conspirator's of the hated King Uther. It is why her uncle had to escape with them, as Guinevere and Miss Morgana were both servant girls to the king's ward, and Arthur, Elyan and Leon were once knights. Gaius himself of the Court Physician."

Merlin's gaze went to where Arthur and Leon worked nearby, quite possibly in hearing distance of this conversation. He supposed he could see the boy as a knight. He had that air about him.

"Merlin, you have magic." Gwaine sounded like he had just thought of this. "Why exactly are we doing physical labor when you could have all of this done with a snap of your fingers?"

"Half of the fun of the festival is the preparations-the bonding experience." Merlin sidled his friend with a look. "I would not deprive you of that."

Gwaine gave him a look that said he wanted to punch him.

Merlin grinned largely.

"Besides, Gwaine," Lancelot spoke up. "You know that Merlin usually does not use his magic unless it is truly needed."

"My back needs it," Will's voice was strained.

Merlin rolled his eyes at his friends as they finally got the wicker man in place. He stepped back and his eyes flashed gold as he held his hands upwards, and the wicker man was secured firmly into the earth. The rest of the men stood back and watched as his magic worked, and when it was done the wicker man was ready, standing proud.

"Good man, Merlin." Gwaine clapped his shoulder as he stared up at the looming effigy that was vastly larger than the other effigies being secured around it in a large circle.

"I have my moments," Merlin agreed.

The men shared chuckles and went to get water to quench their thirst. Merlin remained where he was, staring up at the wicker man with some pride. They'd outdone themselves this year, and he was sure that all the surrounding villages would be able to see the flames once this was lit.

"I was told that the followers of the Old Religion sacrificed criminals in their wicker men," a voice declared in his ear. "All I see so far are grains, fruit, and trinkets."

Merlin didn't look away from the wicker man as Arthur came to stand by his side. "Camelot is daft."

Arthur sent him a glare, he could feel it.

"We do not offer human sacrifices. The gods wouldn't be too pleased with that. True, there are some cults who do practice human sacrifice, but they are not true followers of the Old Religion." Merlin pursed his lips in thought. "I will not deny that there are some offerings in which the spilling of blood is required, but it is our blood that is to be spilt as we are offering ourselves to the gods."

Arthur was quiet.

Merlin didn't know whether that was a good thing or not. "Were you truly a knight?"

He flinched and turned his gaze on the wicker man as well. "I do not like to talk about that."

Merlin pressed on anyway. "Camelot would not have fallen had their king not forgotten that it was the Priestess of the Old Religion at his side who helped him win his wars and make him the king of kings that he was once considered."

"You know nothing about the king." Arthur's voice was harsh. "He might have had his faults, and he might have dealt a heavy hand, but he was a good man who did not deserve the end he received!"

Merlin turned his gaze on the boy, on the stark pain there, and realization hit him that this had been no mere knight. No. This was the impassioned defense of a son blinded by his love for his tyrant father. Many things made sense to Merlin there, especially Leon's subservient attitude towards this boy, as well as his incompetence when it came to certain things that any person should know... unless they were a prince who was used to being waited upon and having everything done to him.

Arthur gulped as he stared at Merlin. "What?"

Merlin took in a deep breath. "I did not agree with anything that King Uther stood for, but I am sorry for your loss."

The boy looked a mixture of confused and a little scared. "I did not lose anything but a king. That is all."

Realizing that this boy was in hiding, and his only safety was in the lie that he'd been a mere knight, Merlin allowed him this falsehood to hide behind and feel some modicum of safety.

He glanced over at the effigy Arthur had secured. "You did that wrong."

Arthur pursed his lips. "I did not-."

The effigy collapsed to the ground on its side.

Merlin's lips curled.

Arthur's lips parted. "You did that with your magic!"

"I did not, when I use magic my eyes turn gold." To prove his point, his eyes flashed gold as his magic went to work, lifting Arthur's fallen effigy so that it was standing straight, and then correctly fastening it into the ground.

Arthur's mouth opened and closed, apparently his default reaction to Merlin, before he closed his mouth and narrowed his eyes at him.

Merlin smirked and left the boy there, feeling quite proud of himself.

* * *

 

Morgana was magic.

The realization fascinated Merlin, especially since he'd realized that she was the king's ward that Guinevere had tended to. Once he'd learnt about Arthur, he'd observed the others, and while Guinevere was sweet and kind, she did not have that regal, effortless elegance that Morgana did. Merlin felt admiration for Gaius at the realization that he had saved both royal children from most certain death and, at his own personal risk, continued to care for them. They had brought unnecessary danger to Ealdor, and Merlin doubted that the villagers would be happy if they found out the truth, but he kept it to himself.

"He's coming!" Morgana whispered, eyes clouded over as she walked in a trance of sorts through the night, clearly in vision. "He'll find us and kill us! He'll raze this village to the ground!"

Merlin emerged from the shadows and placed his hand carefully on her shoulder, magic activating as he peered into her vision. He could see King Agravaine's men (disguised as bandits) descending on Ealdor, which was a mess of flames and chaos. Morgana and Arthur were killed, executed, while people died all around them.

He narrowed his eyes and took the vision into himself, causing Morgana to collapse into his arms. He wasn't physically strong, but his magic helped as he arranged the sleeping woman into a more comfortable position his arms and started towards Gaius' house. Considering his hands were busy, once he reached the door his magic rapped at it loudly.

There was the sound of complaints and someone coming to the door before it was opened to reveal Leon, whose sleepy eyes grew alert and wide when he noticed Merlin and Morgana there. "What happened?"

"I found her sleepwalking out by the effigies." He didn't know if they knew she had magic, so he kept her vision to himself.

"Who is it?" Gaius could be heard calling.

"It is Merlin." Leon called behind him as he made a way in the door for Merlin to enter. "He has brought Morgana."

"Oh dear." Gaius could be heard coming close.

Merlin entered the dwelling, Morgana in his arms, and noticed Arthur as the boy appeared behind Gaius.

"What happened?" Arthur came towards the girl and then looked up at Merlin.

"I was overseeing the effigies, the last minute preparations, when I noticed her walking within the wicker circle. I went to tell her that while Ealdor is relatively safe she should not be wandering on her own in the dead of night, when I realized that she was asleep." He passed her to Arthur and then turned to leave.

"Thank you," Arthur called from behind him.

Merlin's eyes widened and he turn the book at the boy, knowing it was hard for him to say that. Just because of that fact he took the thanking gracefully and didn't tease him any further. "You are welcome." With that he walked into the night.


	2. Chapter 2

The festival was almost upon them and Merlin could feel the shift in the atmosphere. Everyone was filled with excitement and merriment, with grand anticipation of the festivities they enjoyed so greatly. Usually Merlin joined in that joyful feeling, but he couldn't. Not now. Not with Morgana's vision swimming in his head. He pulled out of the last preparations because he had some of his own to do.

The warlock rode around the Ealdorean boundary, putting up new wards and strengethening his old ones. He used the vision he'd taken from Morgana to use as a blueprint of the attack. Where the soldiers entered, he fortified, where they took possession, he armed, where they slaughtered, he put up more protection for the people.

He wasn't surprised when Lancelot joined him one day and stood silently by his side, just watching. His friend waited until Merlin was finished with what he was doing to ask him who was going to attack them, if Kanen was desperate enough to try once more. Lancelot had not been here when Kanen had attacked, but like Gwaine, he'd heard the stories.

Merlin had only told Lancelot because he was married to Guinevere and knew that Lancelot, unlike everyone else, would not say they needed to kick out into the cold those who were hiding in their village. Lancelot was silent, his face grave, and the only words he uttered after the revelation were: "What can I do to assist you?" There really wasn't much Lancelot _could_ do except keep an eye on their surroundings for Merlin. He became something of a scout, patrolling the boundaries of the village daily, and when Merlin saw Lancelot training his wife in the use of a blade he merely smiled and agreed that the girl should learn to protect herself.

But tonight was the festival, it was already underway, and Merlin had done all he could for tonight. So he enjoyed the festivities and the music. The wreath Freya had blushingly placed on his head was quite crooked by now and almost falling off, but he left it as it was. He danced (terribly) and sung (terribly) and had some of the meade as the singing and music filled the air.

Morgana danced without a care, her laughter ringing like a bell as she twirled around with a giggling Gwen and the other girls.

"You know, she is not too hard on the eyes." Gwaine eyed the woman with a pensive look before he added with a huff: "For an irritating harpy."

Merlin raised an eyebrow at his friend before his gaze returned to Morgana. "She is quite beautiful."

"No no no, Merlin." Gwaine flung his arm around Merlin's shoulders. "You cannot be bitten by the love bug and try to marry her. Lancelot already went and left us for a wench. You cannot do me the same thing as he did."

Amusement filled the warlock. "I was not planning on courting Miss Morgana."

"You better not," a voice grumbled behind them. "I already told you that you would not receive my blessing."

Both Merlin and Gwaine turned to see Arthur there.

Gwaine snorted and raised an eyebrow. "Your sister would be _lucky_ to have this boy here after her. Wife of the village warlock. Tis the highest honor."

Arthur snorted. "My sister will not be marrying anyone from this village, much less its warlock."

Gwaine smirked. "That sounds like a challenge."

Merlin's eyes widened in horror at the 'c' word. " _Gwaine_."

Suddenly girls reached out and stole men from the crowd to dance with them, and Merlin was surprised when Morgana reached for him. He stumbled into the dance, sent a very annoyed Arthur (and very smug Gwaine) a look over his shoulder before he turned to her and followed her lead as they weaved in and out amongst the other dancers.

Morgana's eyes were twinkling despite her serious tone as she announced: "I know what you did."

Merlin raised an eyebrow. "I do many things. I am highly productive."

She grinned before they twirled. "You took my vision, and you not only did not tell my family, you did not tell anyone else about it either, except for Lancelot, who would die before anything happened to Gwen." She smiled. "You are also putting protections all around the village." She leaned in close. "Thank you."

He flushed, surprised that she had noticed this, and then nodded. "You are a part of this village, and we protect our own."

She smiled brightly up at him.

He smiled back.

They danced a couple of more dances together before they finally pulled apart as the sounding of the drums let everyone know that the time for the wicker man drew nigh.

Merlin walked Morgana over to where an annoyed looking Arthur was before he made his way to the circle of wicker effigies. He stood in front of the large wicker man and waited until everything had quieted down before he spoke. "We are here once again to thank the gods for all their abundant gifts to us. Now it is our turn to give back to the gods, to show them our appreciation for what they have bestowed on us so far, and remind them that we are forever grateful and their humble servants." He motioned for the villagers to come forth with their last offerings, which were loaded into the large wicker man. "We thank them for protection, for the grains and healthy livestock, for our every breath."

Morgana surprised everyone in the village (but none more than her family) when she moved towards the wicker man. She took in a deep breath and reached into her pocket to place a ring (that all could see was very valuable) into the wicker man. She stepped away, dipped her head to the wicker man in a slight bow, and moved back to where her family awaited her.

The villagers eyed her intensely, differently. Merlin could see that with this one offering, with this one act on her part in giving to the gods and participating in the ritual, the village started to change their mind about her.

He met her gaze and smiled before he addressed those there as he walked towards the wicker man and cut his hand, dripping his blood on top of Morgana's ring and the other offerings stored within. "We give the gods a token of our love, of our appreciation, and of our continued worship. And in return they protect and nourish us, they bless us and allow our crops to grow and our livestock to remain strong. They prevent sickness from overcoming our village like it has those surrounding it. We are faithful to the gods, and in return, they are faithful to us." He showed his palm, the cut healed, and he smiled as, with a flick of his wrists, the effigies and the wicker man, caught on fire simultaneously.

The children ooohed and aaaahed at the different colored flames which rose in the air and connected in an arch above Merlin's head, high into the air. The colors intertwined and danced with a multiple array of shades and tones as they soared high within the air. The smoke which arose formed shapes and designs, smoke dragons soared through the air and breathed ghost fire on those below.

Merlin met his mother's proud eyes and grinned back at her, enjoying the village's enjoyment of the magical display. The children especially giggled and shrieked out laughter, while the adults watched it all with amusement.

Guinevere clung to her husband, her gaze in the sky, wide in shock.

Gaius, once a warlock himself (Hunith had shared this with Merlin), merely smiled.

Leon listened to something Freya told him as he pointed to a catlike beast made of smoke which flew around them.

Morgana laughed and nodded her agreement to something Sophia whispered to her while holding onto an intrigued Elyan's arm. A couple of the women in the village had congregated around the woman, whispering to her. Morgana smiled, chuckled, and whispered back.

Merlin's gaze turned on Arthur and found the young man expressionless, his eyes on Merlin.

Light and color exploded in the air above them, raining down glittering light on the onlookers.

The warlock cleared his throat and looked away, a little shaken, but he got control over himself once more and the celebration continued on.

The music began to play, people began to dance, children chased after the smoke beasts while laughing, and Merlin smiled at his people.

He tried to ignore Arthur for the rest of the celebration but his gaze slipped in his direction a number of times, and each time he found the blonde watching him with that unreadable expression.

* * *

"You would have been executed in Camelot without a second thought."

Merlin looked up from the book he was reading out by the large oak. "Good morning to you too, neighbor."

Arthur did not look amused, his arms folded over his chest. "You are not like any sorcerer that I have ever encountered."

"Well, if you executed them all on sight, it is not like you truly ever actually got to know any."

Arthur's eyes narrowed. "Every sorcerer I met was trying to kill the king and his family."

"Because the king killed _their_ family." Merlin raised an eyebrow. "Surely you can't be blind to the fact that your king destroyed the lives of many innocent people."

Arthur opened his mouth and then closed it as he looked away. "All the magic I have ever known was evil."

He waited for him to continue, because it was obvious that the shorter male wanted to say more.

The blonde turned back to look at him, highly annoyed. "I felt extremely uncomfortable the other night, and the only reason why I helped with the preparations and attended the festival itself was because Gaius said that we should, that it would help the villagers accept us better."

Merlin nodded to the wisdom of those words.

"But I did not want to be there, did not want to be a part of a ritual of the Old Religion." His gaze lowered. "I felt that by doing so I was betraying the principles that I had been brought up with."

The warlock could understand that, and didn't take any offense to this.

"And then Morgana gave up the ring father gave her, and it was like a punch to the gut." Arthur's face hardened. "I realized then and there that she has truly given up on our life before the fall, and that she means to become a part of this community." His expression went queasy. "She might even marry here. One of these men might become my brother in law."

"Would that be so horrible?" Merlin raised an eyebrow. "The villagers might not be refined courtesans, but we are good people."

"It is not _that_ ," Arthur despaired. "What I mean to say is that I never viewed living here permanently as an option. I saw it as something we had to bare before things were right in Camelot and we could return to our previous lives." He let out a huff. "But last night it became ever so clear to me that I am the only one harboring this fantasy."

He had no idea why Arthur was opening up to him like this. It was obviously not a part of Arthur's nature to do so, and he and the shorter boy weren't exceptionally close. Still, it was obvious that Arthur needed to get this off of his chest, and that he trusted Merlin enough to vent at him, so the warlock merely stayed there quietly and let the boy vent.

"Guinevere married Lancelot, Elyan married Sophia, and Leon has been speaking endlessly of "the enchanting Freya" that I know it is only a matter of time before he marries as well." Arthur made a face, clearly unhappy. "All that leaves is Morgana and I with Gauis."

"Are you feeling abandoned?"

Arthur shot him a glare. "No."

Ah, so he was.

Merlin eyed him curiously. "How old are you?"

Arthur narrowed his eyes at him. "What is it to you?"

"Humor me."

"I do not see why I should." And yet Arthur let out a sigh. "Eighteen."

Merlin tilted his head to the side. "You are only a year younger than me." He smirked. "You seem much younger due to the fact that you act like a brat."

" _I do not_ -!"

"You do," Merlin assured him.

Arthur merely glared at him.

Merlin grinned brightly. "Arthur, if you do not want to feel like you are being left behind, do not be."

He raised an eyebrow. "What sort of cockamamie-?"

"They can not leave you behind if you are right there with them, can they?"

Arthur narrowed his eyes at Merlin. "Is this an example of 'country wisdom'?"

"Sod off!" And yet Merlin was laughing. "What I mean to say is that Camelot might have been your home once, but this can be your home now, if you let it."

Arthur took in a deep breath. "There is something about you Merlin, I just can't put my finger on it."

"Yes, I know, I am entirely too handsome."

Arthur sputtered, his face red. "That is not what I mean!"

"You would not be the first boy seduced by my charms, do not fret." He said this with a straight face despite the fact that inside he snickered.

" _What_ charms?" Arthur groused. "You are the most annoying and infuriating man I have _ever_ had the misfortune of knowing."

"You realize, Arthur, that that is _quite_ the declaration of love you have just spouted."

"I did not declare any such thing!" Arthur's face was puce. "If anyone is in love with anyone, you are in love with me!"

Merlin snickered. "Right. Because there is _so much_ to be in love with when it comes to you."

Arthur's mouth clamped shut, and his eyes were narrowed slits. "I will have you know that many women and men in the court in Camelot fancied me."

"I am sure they did," he said in his most patronizing tone.

Arthur was bubbling with rage, it was a sight to behold. "You provoke me on purpose."

Merlin's grin was wicked. "I was wondering when you would notice. I am giving you an education in patience. This is for your own good."

"I do not _need_ any sort of lesson from _you_." Arthur held his head up high. "I will be the bigger man and refrain from reacting to your provocations." He turned and stormed away.

The dark haired youth watched him go and then couldn't resist the urge as he yelled out after him: "By storming away like that you are still reacting!"

Arthur's stride grew furious as he hurried his pace.

* * *

"How is the courtship coming along?" Hunith asked off-handedly as she knitted.

Merlin blinked in confusion as to why his mother thought _he_ would know. "How I see it, Freya will be married by the fortnight, and she does deserve some happiness after how terrible her life has been, but-."

"Yes yes dear, I am very happy for her." Hunith looked up. "But I meant how is your courtship in regards to Arthur?"

Merlin stared at his mother and tried to make sense of the question. "There is no courtship."

Hunith's eyes widened in scandal. "Merlin, you cannot be serious. If you have no true intentions for that boy you need to stop your flirtations. People are beginning to _talk_. There is gossip." She leaned forwards. "Two of our neighbors have already inquired as to whether you plan on moving into a separate hut with him soon!"

Merlin pulled an Arthur, his mouth opening and closing repeatedly without a sound ushering forth.

"People's expectations are rising, Merlin." Hunith tutted and returned to knitting. "Do not tease them all if you are merely having fun with the poor lad."

"Expectations?" Merlin squeaked. "Why would there be expectations?!"

"Well, because with the way you two flirt all day, people are expecting to find you deflowering the poor boy behind some barn." Hunith shook her head in reproach. "There are _wagers_ , Merlin. You must think of that poor boy's reputation, if not your own." She pursed her lips. "You do not want to be thought of as a rogue deflowerer, do you?"

He blinked, not quite sure that he was truly having this conversation. "Of course not."

"Good." She seemed relieved. "So either make things official with that boy or stop flirting so much with him."

"But we do not flirt." Merlin couldn't understand how this was being misunderstood.

"Please, Merlin, I may be your mother but I was a vibrant young woman once." She smiled dreamily at the memory. "I know very well when someone is acting coquetish around someone else." Her gaze rested on him. "You, my son, are a natural coquet."

"I am not!" Merlin flushed in embarrassment.

" _Merlin_." His mothed tisked. "I cannot believe you would deny it right to my face."

"But-."

" **Merlin**."

He lowered his head. "Yes mother."

"Good boy." She continued to knit as if they hadn't had this conversation.

Merlin, in his seat, was quite traumatized.

* * *

Whether she realized it or not, this was the second time Merlin avoided Arthur because of Hunith. He felt extremely self-conscious while around the blonde when other villagers were around, and he tried his best not to put out "rogue deflowerer" vibes, whatever the hell those were. He would've thought that these people would know him better by now, he'd only lived amongst them his whole life! Since when had he had "rogue _anything_ " vibes? He couldn't be less "rogue" if he wanted to! It just wasn't possible!

"Will?" Merlin turned to his friend. "Do you ever get the feeling that I will roguishly deflower you?"

Will, bless his heart, took the question in stride, thought it over for about two seconds, and then shook his head. "Not really. Why?"

The warlock finally confided what had been bothering him. "My mother has gotten it into her head that I am going to deflower Arthur behind someone's barn."

"Well that is bloody ridiculous." Will laughed at the whole idea, which made Merlin feel better. "It would happen in the supply shed behind your house. Not someone's barn. It is much more convenient, actually quite comfortable given the fact that you keep hay in there, and there is less of a chance of someone stumbling onto you making him into a man."

Merlin gaped at his best friend.

Will did not seem to realize the shock his friend was going through right now. "I honestly do not know what you see in the prat, but you seem to have the most fun when you are engaging in verbal foreplay with him, so I will just accept that he makes you happy and support you in this love endeavor."

Merlin just stared at Will.

"Oi! Merlin!" Arthur's voice was like a bucket of cold water. "I have been looking for you!"

Will waggled his eyebrows and took off, probably believing he was being supportive by leaving Merlin alone with the object of his "love endeavor".

Merlin turned to face Arthur and tried not to look like he'd just been talking about deflowering him in a barn, or a shed. "Hello Arthur, how may I be of service to you today?"

"By telling your friend Gwaine to back off." Arthur's eyes were narrowed. "If I see him hanging around Morgana again he is not going to be warned away by just words."

Merlin's eyebrows rose. "Gwaine is courting Morgana?"

"No." Arthur's eyes narrowed. "He is not. And he _will_ not. I have heard about his reputation all over the village and will not let him within two feet of my sister!"

Merlin peered over Arthur's shoulder to where Morgana and Gwaine were apparently arguing with each other. The warlock raised an eyebrow. "If you ask me, there is no chance of a romance between those two. I mean, look at them."

Arthur twirled on his heels and glared at the two of them. "I cannot believe the _nerve_ that scoundrel has in flirting with my sister right before my eyes! He is shameless and-!"

" _Flirting_?" Merlin knew his voice betrayed his shock as he stared at the two dark haired beauties who looked like they would like nothing else than to stab and then strangle each other. "What about that could be considered _flirting_?" He flinched when Morgana _punched_ Gwaine, straight in the jaw, and stormed off. Gwaine held his face, stared after her, and then charged behind her telling her that she "hit like a girl"... which only made her swing around, punch him again, and this time do it with enough force to land him on the ground.

Sure this would convince Arthur there was nothing there to be worried about, Merlin turned to glance at his companion only to realize that the blonde looked even more worried now than he had before. In fact, Arthur was quite pale. "She likes him. A lot."

Right then and there Merlin decided he knew nothing about male/female dynamics. "What could _possibly_ give you that idea?"

"I know my sister." Arthur palmed his face before he turned to glare at Merlin. "This is all _your_ fault!"

"How is any of this even _remotely_ my fault?" Merlin wanted to now.

"He is your friend! You should have stopped him when he first fixed his eyes on _my_ devil sister!"

"I _still_ am not convinced that he has fixed anything on her!"

"How can you be _so blind_?" Arthur wanted to know. "Or are you just _playing_ stupid?"

"I do not see how their interaction can be deemed as flirtation!" Merlin threw his hands in the air. "They fight like cats and dogs and provoke each other to utter violence!" He folded his arms over his chest. "If what they are doing is termed flirtation, then the same could be said about what _we_ do." And then he wished the world would just swallow him.

Arthur's eyes widened and his blues seemed even bluer with his blush. "You _wish_ that we flirted!"

"I do not!" Merlin denied vehemently. "I am merely pointing out that you and I share a similar dynamic to that between Morgana and Gwaine." He raised an eyebrow. "You need to understand that so that you can realize that they _are not_ flirting, because that would mean that _you and I_ are flirting, and we _are not_ flirting."

Arthur stared at him in wide-eyed horror.

Merlin began to fidget. "Because we are not."

"Of course **_we_ ** are not." Arthur's voice squeaked at the 'we' part. " ** _We_ ** would not flirt! At all!"

"Exactly." Merlin nodded in agreement.

"You are gangly and all ears and not at all attractive!"

Merlin's mouth gaped in outrage. "And you are short and a gigantic prat who _might_ be fit right now, but has the promise of a pudgy stomach once he reaches a certain age!"

"I do _not_ have the promise of a pudgy stomach!"

"You do!" Merlin poked said stomach.

"Do _not_!" Arthur swatted at that poking finger. "You are just jealous that I have actual _muscles_ and that I don't just have a layer of skin over pure _bones_."

"Please," Merlin scoffed.

"Do not try and deny it, Merlin." Arthur pointed a finger accusingly in his face. "I am a perfect specimen of manhood. It is okay to feel inferior and inadequate in comparison."

Merlin snorted. "The sun is obviously getting to you."

A couple of girls crossed by them and giggled amongst themselves.

Merlin froze and watched them go, his eyes wide as he wondered if they, like Will and his mother, believed that the argument Arthur and him were having right now was some sort of flirtation or "verbal foreplay". He just was not having that. He had to dispell those "that Merlin is such a roguish deflowerer" rumors that apparently truly _were_ circulating. It was why he left Arthur in mid sentence and hurried after the girls, a smile on his face. "Elena, Vivian, you are both looking exceptionally lovely today."

They blushed, sent Arthur a look, shared a look between them, and then turned their gazes on him. "Thank you, Merlin."

Merlin cleared his throat and moved closer. "I was wondering if perhaps later-." Suddenly something latched onto his ear, and Merlin let out a cry as Arthur (without a by-your-leave to the girls) began to drag him away _by his ear_. "A-Arthur? What-? _Arthur_!"

"This is _no time_ for you to be philandering." Arthur's voice was tight with annoyance.

" _Philandering_?" He gasped and wondered if he truly _did_ have the reputation of a shameless rake. "I was going to ask if they would show me their flowerbeds!"

"Is _that_ what they are calling it in Ealdor?" Arthur monotoned.

He flushed at the insinuation. "They grow flowers that my mother is fond of and I wanted to plant some for her birthday."

"Of course you did." Arthur sounded completely unbelieving as he _finally_ let go of Merlin's ear. "Listen here you idiotic sorcerer, until you fix this problem I forbid you from doing anything else. Especially... flowerbedding."

" _It was not a euphemism._ " Merlin blushed and rubbed his throbbing ear. "And I'm telling you, there is _nothing_ between your sister and my friend... except maybe murderous intent."

Arthur glared at him. " _Fix it_ , Merlin." He turned to walk away before he swung back around and pointed his finger accusingly at him. "And do not let me catch you dilly dallying with the village girls!" He paused and then flushed and glared harder at Merlin. "This is important! Just focus on this!" And with that he turned around once more and stormed away.

Merlin watched him go and continued rub his ear.

* * *

"Me and the pompous, better than everyone else, thinks she's the queen of Albion, Morgana?" Gwaine snorted into his drink. "I should think not."

Merlin smiled in relief, having known this but it was nice to hear the confirmation anyway. "Good. Arthur was in a tizzy about it. He has heard all about your reputation with the ladies and did not want you within two feet of his sister."

"Like I would touch that rigid, unnattracive, _frigid_ tomboy!" Gwaine made a face. "Not even with a ten foot pole would I do something so distasteful as that!"

Merlin nodded. "I _told_ Arthur you did not like her." He shook his head, amused. "And he was so worriedly convinced she liked you."

Gwaine froze with his goblet halfway to his mouth. "He said that? He used those actual words?"

Merlin took a sip of his own drink. "He thought that you two were flirting, and that his sister liked you, in his words: a lot."

The goblet slowly lowered to the table. "Did he truly use those words in regards to Morgana's feelings towards me?"

Merlin nodded and finished his drink. "He shall be relieved when I inform him that he was wrong and there is no attraction between you two whatsoever." He then actually _looked_ at Gwaine, and dropped his goblet. " _Gwaine?_ "

"I cannot help it, Merlin!" Gwaine groaned as he covered his face in a groan. "Do you _think_ that I want to have her constantly on my mind? Or that I think smiling every time I touch the bruise on my face _healthy_? No! But she's bewitched me with those blue eyes of hers with their long, dark lashes, and I cannot even get it up for even _Bethie_ anymore. _Bethie!_ " He groaned and leaned his forehead against the table. "I cannot believe that such a thing has happened _to me_ of all people."

"Me neither," Merlin gulped. "I always imagined you as the single old man chasing after women who were young enough to be your granddaughters."

" _Me too_!" Gwain despaired. "What has _happened_ to me?"

Merlin sighed. "Love, apparently."

"I _hate_ being in love." Gwaine rested his forehead against the table in a whine. "It's a horrid state of being."

Merlin could only pat his friend consolingly on his back. Arthur was going to kill him.

* * *

"I am going to kill him!" Arthur snarled. "I will not let that _whoremonger_ put his grubby paws all over my sister!"

"Arthur, think rationally." Merline put himself in the blonde's way. "Gwaine is in love with your sister, _miserably_ in love with her, and if your ability to read Morgana can be relied upon, she has strong feelings for him as well." He walked backwards since Arthur wouldn't stop charging. "Will you really keep them apart if they are in love with each other and want to be together?"

"Yes! This is my _sister!_ " Arthur glared at him. "She might be evil incarnate, but she is _still_ my flesh and blood and it is my duty to protect her! Even if it is from herself!"

Merlin could tell those siblings had an interesting relationship. "Morgana does not seem the type to just let you tell her what she can or cannot do, much less whom she can or cannot love."

"Well, things are going to change around here." Arthur growled. "I am going to kill him, and then I am going to find the closest tower and lock her up in there until she comes to her senses."

A sigh escaped Merlin's as his eyes flashed gold, and with his magic as help (he'd be unable to do this otherwise) the warlock scooped up the unsuspecting blonde and threw him over his shoulders. "You need to learn how to handle things with a level head and not charge them while you are enraged. You will only make matters worse for all those involved."

"Wha-what do you think you are doing, you idiotic-!" Arthur tried to slam his fists into Merlin's back, but his magic protected him, and Arthur's fists hit an invisible shield. It also restrained his feet and kept him from kicking. "Put me down! _Put me down_ by the gods you so cherish _or I will kill you too_!"

Realizing that Arthur was furious enough to follow through with that threat, there was no way that Merlin was going to actually put him down. "We are going somewhere and you are going to cool down. You will think this through with a rational head, and if you still choose to object to this union, you will do it calmly and not screaming and yelling and promising decapitation and enforced isolation."

"This is not your business!" Arthur continued to bang his fists against the invisible shield protecting Merlin.

"You _made_ this my business," Merlin reminded cheerfully.

" _Mer_ lin! If you do not put me down this instance you will regret it!" Arthur sounded furious. "I will strive to make your life a living hell!"

"You do that already."

Arthur gave the shield another punch. "Put me down!"

"Say please."

"Go die."

Merlin chuckled. "So, you are annoying _and_ deaf."

"So help me, _Mer_ lin, I will-."

Merlin did not know _why_ he did what he did at that moment, it had been instinctual.

" _Did you just spank my buttocks_?!" Arthur's voice was choked.

Merlin cleared his throat and lied. "You are going to make me drop you if you do not stop struggling."

" _You spanked my buttocks_!"

"Yes, Arthur, scream it louder." Merlin raised his eyebrow, voice a monotone. "I do not think people in Camelot _quite_ heard what you were saying."

"I am going to _strangle_ you."

"Is that before or after you murder me?"

"You are insufferable!"

"Thank you for noticing."

Arthur let out a growl that was ferocious. "When you put me down I am going to-."

What the hell? Merlin wasn't getting out of this unscathed. So why not have fun at the blonde's expense?

"Ouch!" Arthur's voice betrayed his utter shock. " _You did **not** just pinch me_!"

Merlin did so again, right on that pert buttocks.

"Hey! _Stop_ that!"

"Stop." Pinch. "Struggling." Pinch.

"Stop that! I command you to stop!"

"As you command, Your Highness." Slap.

" _Stop slapping me too_!"

Merlin couldn't keep the laughter at bay. "Promise to behave?"

"I am not a _child_ for you to-."

Merlin lifted his hand once more. "Was that a promise?"

"You would not dare-MERLIN! STOP THAT!"

Merlin was sure that that poor butt cheek was starting to turn red from the abuse. "Are you calm yet?"

"If by calm you mean ready to murder you, then yes, I am incredibly calm."

He grinned from ear to ear. "Good."

"How _dare_ you raise your hand against me in such a manner?" Arthur seemed to be asking himself that more than Merlin.

"Aw, poor prat." Merlin rubbed the abused cheek. "Better?"

"Me- _ **Mer** lin_!" Arthur's voice was a squeaked, choked sound.

A group of girls froze as they turned the corner and caught them in that position, with Merlin rubbing Arthur's butt while the blonde squeaked out his name.

Merlin's eyes widened and he promptly dropped Arthur as he realized that this looked like he was taking the resisting blonde somewhere to deflower him, like some fiendish rogue would.

The girls giggled amongst themselves and hurried passed them. One was so bold as to wink at Merlin while giving him a thumbs up.

He groaned and covered his face with his hand, thus he didn't see it when Arthur kicked his feet out from under him and he landed in a mess of arms and legs next to the glowering blonde.

To this day, Merlin is sure that the only reason he wasn't killed at that very moment was because Morgana and Gwaine stumbled upon them as Merlin grinned sheepishly and Arthur snarled at him viciously.

Morgana raised an eyebrow. "What exactly is going on here?"

Arthur turned at the sound of his sister's voice, and his blues narrowed on Gwaine. "Stay away from my sister. You do not have my blessing to be with her!"

Gwaine snickered. "Who said I ever intended to ask for it?" He motioned to Morgana, who glared at Arthur murderously. "The only one whose blessing I need is _hers_."

Morgana's glare turned into a smirk as her blues rested on him. "You are learning."

" _Morgana_ _-!"_

"Arthur, be quiet." Morgana raised her chin, voice imperious. "Once you have sorted out _your own_ life, then I might deign to listen to your advice on _anything_. **Might.** " And with that she motioned Gwaine to follow as she strolled away.

Arthur and Merlin remained seated on the ground.

The sorcerer watched them go. "That went better than I thought it would."

Arthur sent him a glare before he pushed himself to his feet and stormed away, rubbing his apparently quite sore butt the whole way.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the late post! I hadn't realized I hadn't posted it on Ao3!

"This. Is. All. YOUR. Fault."

Merlin looked up from where his magic was milking Bessie, weeding the garden, trimming the hedges of the trees and picking fruit from high tress, placing them safely within baskets below him. "Yes, this is all my fault. It is actually part of my evil, sorcerer plan: to get all of my chores down in no time so I can laze around and be a total nuisance."

Arthur was not amused. "He brought her flowers."

"The nerve!" Merlin gasped as he brought his hand to his chest in mock-scandal.

"Flowers!" Arthur was apparently not listening to him. "Morgana does not even like flowers!"

"So she told him to take them away?" Merlin raised an eyebrow, able to imagine the woman doing just that.

Arthur's face fell. "She put them in a vase by her bed."

Lips twitching, Merlin felt a little bad for the guy, who was obviously not taking any of this well at all. "You could have worse brother in laws than Gwaine." At Arthur's incredulous and quite disbelieving look, Merlin tried to prove him right. "It could have been Clancy."

Arthur's eyes narrowed. "Make it believable. No way would Morgana ever marry that fat, pox-ridden simpleton."

Considering that Arthur was encouraging Merlin to encourage him, the warlock gave it another try. "Leslie."

"Oh." Arthur made a face. "There is Leslie."

Merlin nodded. Leslie was a nice enough fellow to be sure, and he wasn't truly that unattractive, but Leslie had a tendency to eat his boogers when he thought no one was looking. "Or Wilfred."

Arthur's face twisted further. "There is Wilfred."

Wilfred the handsome, who went through periods in which he believed he was a dog.

"And, there is of course, Dudley."

Arthur shivered. "There is Dudley."

Dudley, who was handsome, incredibly built and had his own house and crops, and who eyed Morgana with interest... when he wasn't eyeing Arthur with interest.

Merlin clapped the boy on his shoulder. "See? It could be worse than Gwaine."

"I am horrified at the fact that I have to agree with that."

Merlin grinned. "I have taught you to see the silver lining in even the darkest of circumstances! Stick with me and I will teach you all sorts of fun things."

Arthur raised an eyebrow at him, clearly unconvinced. "The last time you tried to 'teach' me something I could not sit comfortably for three days. Everyone kept giving me odd, questioning looks."

The warlock knew it was wrong to grin at that yet couldn't stop himself. "But look at how well you have behaved since then!"

He totally had the punch to the gut coming to him, and he laughed as he doubled over in pain and Arthur stormed away, the blush that crept up the blonde's neck bright and extremely visible despite the distance between them.

* * *

 

"Go away."

"You will be bored if I do."

Arthur sidled him with an ugly look. "I will somehow manage."

Merlin ignored the blonde's wishes. "But you are doing it wrong."

A muscle ticked in Arthur's cheek. "I am not doing anything. How could I be doing it wrong!?"

Completely ignoring the blonde's bad mood, Merlin threw himself on the grass next to Arthur and looked up at the clouds. "You are lost in your own thoughts and are not enjoying the beauty around you." He lifted his finger and pointed to the sky as his eyes flashed gold. "When you lay on the top of a grassy hill, with the wind whistling around you, you soak in the beauty of nature." He turned his head to the side to grin at Arthur as the clouds above them formed a dragon shape, and began to fly around. "Of course, a city boy would not know this, so just consider this yet another bit of free education."

Unlike usual, Arthur didn't rise to the bait. Instead he stared at Merlin before he cleared his throat and turned to look up at the sky, to watch the dragon and the other shapes and forms the clouds had taken on. "In Camelot there was never time to actually do this."

Considering that the younger boy never actually talked about his life in Camelot, Merlin remained silent, curious about just how much the blonde would choose to reveal to him.

"I was always in training, and my father always expected better of me so I had to work ten times harder than everyone else to prove myself to him." He let out a sigh. "I feel like a mockery of myself here in Ealdor, tending to the earth and working with animals." He sent Merlin a twisted, unhappy smile. "My father must not be at peace, seeing me like this."

Merlin stared at that face. "Then do something about it."

Arthur gave a tired laugh. "I like that about you, Merlin. You always believe every problem can be solved by just wishing it so. It is naive, but refreshing."

"What I mean, Arthur, is that if you miss Camelot that much, and your life there, use your time here to grow up, to grow strong, and then go back to fight for it when the time is right." Merlin wondered if Arthur would realize that the warlock knew exactly who he was.

"Thing is, Merlin, this new king is apparently accepted by the people of Camelot." And it was obvious that it hurt Arthur to admit that. "From what I have managed to hear from the few caravans that have passed through, the changes Agravaine is implimenting in the kingdom are being welcomed by those within." He let out a stuttered breath. "It would seem that King Uther lost more support following the Great Purge than he, or any of those in his court, could have ever suspected."

Merlin couldn't say anything positive about Uther, so he remained silent.

Arthur read the truth in his silence and let out a dark chuckle. "Why am I even telling you this? You obviously would be in favor of Agravaine as king. He is bringing back magic and the Old Religion to Camelot. All of that is in the best interest of sorcerers like you."

"It is," Merlin couldn't and wouldn't deny it.

Flinching visibly, Arthur angled his gaze away.

Merlin returned his gaze to the sky and the cloud-dragon swooped down magestically above them before performing pirouettes in the air.

A soft chuckle escaped Arthur's lips.

Melrin smiled in reaction to the sound as he had the cloud-dragon perform more stunts above them.

Arthur cleared his throat. "I came here to be alone, you know."

"No you did not."

"How could you possibly-?"

"If you had wanted to be alone, you would not have chosen the hill right behind my house." Merlin had bouts of wisdom now and again.

Arthur couldn't say anything to that, and merely continued to stare up above them.

* * *

 

When Merlin felt the warning in his barriers he shot up from where he'd been planting the flowers in his mother's garden for her birthday (that really was what he'd wanted to talk to Elena and Vivian about). His eyes had flashed gold as he activated the spell no one knew he had cast, and then he made his way languidly to the village center in time to see the group of riders descending upon them. His gaze found Lancelot, the only one who knew of his plan, and watched as Lancelot nodded and disappeared into the crowd to do his part. Merlin cleared his throat as he watched the riders draw closer and closer.

The man in the front of the group narrowed his eyes as he surveyed the people and descended from his mount. "Who is in charge here?"

Merlin was not "in charge", there really wasn't anyone who was "in charge", but he still stepped forwards. "Is there any way we can help you, sir?"

The man eyed him with little interest. "We heard that a group from Camelot have made this place their home, is this true?"

"A family, not a group." Merlin's voice was even.

"We have reason to believe that they are hiding from King Agravaine." The man stepped forwards. "We are here to take them back."

Merlin raised an eyebrow. "Of course." He motioned towards Lancelot, who had brought the visibly confused and very wary group forwards. Lancelot must've told them there was a plan in place (otherwise Merlin could see the men trying to fight) and they were visibly restraining from doing so and trusting him. "This is the family that have moved to Camelot."

The man moved passed Merlin and walked straight to Arthur, before his snorted and walked down the line. He then turned to the others. "If you are hiding them from us, we will find them."

Merlin nodded. "You can search our village, we have nothing to hide."

Confusion was plain on Arthur and the knights' faces as King Agravaine's men pushed passed them to search the village. Morgana had a smirk of suspicion on her face, and Guinevere didn't looked surprised at all, merely a little nervous. It appeared that Lancelot had forewarned her about Merlin's plan should Agravaine's men arrive.

In the end, Agravaine's men were forced to mount their horses and leave. The leader looked back a couple of times, but he nonetheless left.

The crowd dispersed, mumbled on how men from Camelot had no right trying to command people from Essetir, and a couple of them clapped Gaius and his family on their backs and told them not to worry, they were Ealdoreans now and wouldn't have to put up with that "rift raft" anymore.

Merlin wasn't too sure that this was the last time that they'd hear from the soldiers, he doubted Agravaine would rest until his nephew was dead, but at least for now things had worked in their favor.

Arthur watched the soldiers in disguise disappear and made his way towards Merlin. His gaze was on the hill, his expression unreadable. "You know who I am."

Not seeing a reason to deny it, Merlin nodded.

Arthur's gaze turned to him. "I know those men. They know me. They should be executing us this instance." His eyes narrowed on the warlock. "I am not sure how, but you protected us."

He had a feeling Arthur would not be happy once he found out he was bespelled considering his stance on magic. "As long as you and the others remain in Ealdor, anyone who does not live here will see you as half-starved, unremarkable and unfamiliar."

The prince in hiding merely stared at him in utter confusion. "Why? If my father were king he would kill you."

Merlin reached out and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. "I choose to believe that now, should you be king, you would not."

Arthur was silent, his eyes wide.

Seeing Lancelot motioning him over, Merlin gave Arthur's shoulder a squeeze and went to see what Lancelot needed. He could feel Arthur's gaze on his back, but he didn't look back once.

* * *

 

Ever since the day that Agravaine's men came to Camelot something changed in Arthur. Or, maybe, better said, Arthur himself didn't change, but his interactions with Merlin did. The warlock wasn't exactly sure what had prompted the change, and was somewhat unbalanced by the change in their dynamic, but he tried not to let it show too much. Sure, he had enjoyed all the bickering (hell, he really enjoyed the bickering) but he also liked the fact that he could now talk to Arthur without the blonde storming away in a huff.

"You do not have to look at me as if you are wondering whether you need to throw me over your shoulder again." Arthur raised an eyebrow, clearly warning Merlin away from even considering that. "I am being level-headed about this."

"I can see that. It is what is making me suspicious."

Arthur snorted in laughter. "There is no pleasing you, is there, Merlin?"

"I can be easily pleased, I just do not think that you have changed your feelings that much concerning Morgana and Gwaine." Merlin rubbed down Bessie. "She is marrying Gwaine. I do not believe this tranquil front you are putting up." His eyes narrowed. "Unless you have planned to assassinate Gwaine before the wedding." His eyes widened. "Have you-?"

"No." Arthur rolled his eyes. "Gwaine, and his privates, are safe from me. Not from Morgana, but from me."

Merlin wasn't too sure he believed this change of heart. "Who mentioned his privates?"

"Stop looking so suspicious!" Arthur snickered in dark amusement. "I am going to hand my sister over to him and just let him deal with her evilness from now on. I will wash my hands clean of the both of them. He will come crying for me to take her back and I will just tell him "I told you so", just watch and see." He made a face. "Why anyone would want to marry Morgana I will never know."

"She is beautiful and has an incredible br-." Merlin sputtered as some of Bessie's food was thrown in his face. He spat it out and turned to glare at a glaring Arthur. "Brain. I was going to say brain! Why would I say "an" in front of breasts? Unless I only consider one of them incredible!"

Arthur's eyes narrowed further. "You keep your hands and attention off of my sister's brain, as well as her flowerbed."

Merlin blushed. "It isn't a euphenism!"

Arthur did not seem to believe him at all.

Did Merlin truly have the reputation of a rogue scoundrel? He must! It made no other sense for why Arthur seemed to find it his sole purpose in life to save any female around them from Merlin's "philandering".

Thankfully, though, Arthur changed the topic, his expression contemplative. "How fond are you of Cenred?"

The warlock's expression went highly amused. "You ask me this because he and I have tea and biscuits every sunday, yeah?"

Arthur glared at him. "Do not try to be smart, Merlin, it does not suit you." He cleared his throat. "Clearly I meant as a leader. As Ealdor's king."

Intrigued by the question, Merlin took a moment to think about it before answering. "Not overly. It is not as if he ever helped Ealdor with the bandits, or the drought, or when all the cattle died, or when the sickness took over that year when I was eight." His gaze rose to the ever-contemplative Arthur. "Why do you ask?"

"I just think that a king should be mindful of all his provinces, no matter how small." Arthur raised an eyebrow. "When I take the throne back from Agravaine I may buy this village from him. It is close to our borders."

Merlin's eyes widened and he let out a bark of laughter. "I do not think Cenred will just hand over Ealdor like that even if you give him a hearty sum, I do not think his pride would allow him to."

"Then I shall have to conquer Essetir and join it to Camelot." Arthur seemed decided in this.

The laughter bubbled in Merlin's throat. "Well, why not just join the whole of Albion while you are at it?"

Arthur eyed him curiously. "Why not?"

Merlin's lips parted. "You want to join the whole of Albion?"

Again, he merely asked: "Why not?"

Realizing that there was some seriousness in this conversation, Merlin narrowed his eyes as he examined the blonde. "I do not think that the whole of Albion will just accept Camelot's customs and dictates. Especially not when they have lived in freedom and safe from persecution because they lived in other realms."

Arthur's face clouded at the implication. "Do you really think, Merlin, that if I were king and Ealdor belonged to Camleot, that I would have you burnt at the stake for being a sorcerer?" He took a step forwards. "Do you truly believe that I would do that?"

The taller youth eyed the shorter one in contemplation. "I would hope not, but it is what you were taught, Arthur, to hate my kind and kill them on sight."

"I might have been taught that, and I do believe that there is evil magic out there, but that does not mean that I cannot think for myself and come to my own conclusions." A muscle ticked in Arthur's cheek, some disappointment in his blues. "You are an idiot, and you are insufferable, and you are mind-boggling clueless, but you are not evil."

Emotion choked in Merlin's throat and made his voice sound odd as he whispered: "Thank you."

Arthur nodded and looked away.

They stayed there, an awkward silence befalling them. Merlin had a feeling that something important had just happened, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out exactly what.

* * *

 

Despite all the speculation in Morgana and Gwaine's direction, Leon and Freya were the next to marry, and Leon moved into Freya's small yet cozy house. He doted on her with the same faithfulness with which he tried (mostly unsuccessfully) to serve Arthur, and Merlin had never seen the quiet, timid, scarred girl this happy. The village, overjoyed for the orphan, celebrated her wedding for three straight days. The newly weds were happily at home for most of the celebration, but to be truthful the celebration was more for the village than for Freya and Leon, and everyone rejoiced and drank and enjoyed themselves.

Merlin might have enjoyed a little too much, because he was actually quite tipsy (some bushes had exploded due to his wonky magic) and he laughed a bit too loudly and stumbled somewhat.

Arthur kept sneering at him and calling him a lightweight, but he always managed to steer Merlin away from any dangerous situation the drunk warlock got himself in (like when Merlin admitted that he could heal himself from most injuries and offered to stab himself with a pitchfork to prove it).

"I was wondering when you would get to see Merlin drunk." Will was enjoying this far too much. "Two more goblets and he will be stripping."

Arthur choked on his own sip of meade.

Will snickered. "It is not as if it is not something you have not seen already."

Arthur blanched and then went red. "I have not seen him naked!"

"Oh, yes, of course." Will nudged him shoulder into Arthur's before he brought his finger to his lips as if they were sharing a monumental secret.

"Oi!" Merlin stumbled towards Will. "He has not seen me naked."

"Sure, of course." Will nodded placatingly, not at all believing him.

Merlin fanned himself. "Is it hot in here?"

Will turned his devilish eyes on Arthur. "Here it comes!"

Arthur dropped his goblet the second Merlin reached for his neckerchief and threw it to the ground. The blonde scooped up the drunk warlock and threw him over his shoulder. "That is it. I am taking you to Hunith before you scar any impressionable minds."

"Of course you are." Once more Will gave them a large, overly-exaggerated wink as well as a thumbs up.

Arthur, face reddening, shook his head as he began to storm away in the direction of Merlin and Hunith's hut.

Merlin, hanging upside down on that back, stared at Arthur's butt and did what felt natural. He slapped it, and then burst out laughing.

Arthur froze and then slapped Merlin's butt, hard. "Stop that!"

In retaliation, the warlock slapped it again, and let out a pained laugh when Arthur slapped him again.

"Merlin, I swear to-do not pinch me!"

"Ouch! I did not pinch you that hard!" Merlin whined.

"Stupid sorcerer," Arthur huffed under his breath. "If most magic-users are like you we should have taken pity on them."

"Oi!" Not too drunk not to recognize the slur against him, Merlin stretched and squeezed both cheeks.

Arthur squeaked and jumped a little. "Merlin!"

The warlock, having enjoyed that reaction, continued to knead those cheeks.

Arthur hurried his pace and continued to slap his butt. "Stop it! Refrain-! Stop!"

Merlin merely snickered like a misbehaving child. It was how he missed that they were in front of his house, and that Arthur was knocking on the door desperately.

The door opened and his mother was treated to the sight before her.

Hunith, for her point, merely raised an eyebrow.

"He was about to strip," Arthur's voice was strained.

"Again?" Hunith sighed.

"I have brought him back with some dignity intact." Arthur tried to put Merlin down, but the warlock had a firm grip on his butt. "Oi! Merlin! Let go!"

"Nope!" Merlin chuckled. "She thinks that we flirt."

"I wonder what would give her that idea," Arthur growled. "Could it be the fact that you will not let go of my buttocks?!"

"Nah." Merlin didn't think so. "It has to be something else."

"So help me, if you do not-."

Hunith giggled before she cleared her throat. "Merlin. Behave."

"But mother-."

"Merlin."

He pouted and let go of Arthur, allowed himself to be set on his feet and leaned into his mother's arms.

Arthur was shocked. "How did you get him to listen to you?"

"I am his mother," was Hunith's proud answer as she looked him up and down. "I expect you to come calling by the house tomorrow evening and have dinner with us." At Arthur's expression she smiled. "I want to better know the young man courting my son."

Arthur blushed. "I am not-!"

"Eight sharp." And with that Hunith led Merlin back inside.

Merlin waved goodbye to a shellshocked Arthur before his magic shut the door.

* * *

 

Hunith must've scared Arthur the way she did Merlin, because Arthur had not only appeared for dinner the next night, but every night after it. He'd started bringing Gauis when she insisted (Morgana was busy bossing Gwaine) and the two men ended up somehow becoming staples in the Emrys household. Merlin did not know how to take it (at least it wasn't awkward like it had been at first) and he was sure that everyone in the village were convinced he and Arthur were together by now.

"Delicious as always, Hunith," Gaius praised.

Arthur looked at his guardian in shock, obviously not thinking much of Hunith's cooking (although he never showed it to the woman's face) and worried about Gaius' health.

Merlin knocked his foot sideways into Arthur's in reproach.

Properly scolded, Arthur lowered his gaze and stuffed his face with the food.

Hunith caught him doing so, beamed, and then turned to Gaius. "You flatter me too much, Gaius."

Merlin and Arthur shared grins.

Hunith (who had always known the truth about the "family" from Camelot - she had vouched for Gaius) sat down once more and smiled at Arthur and Merlin before she turned to Gaius and placed her hand on his. "I am so glad that you came to us for help, Gaius. I had wanted Merlin to go to Camelot to meet the boy prince you wrote so much about, I knew that they would become close rapidly... even though I never expected how close they would become."

Gaius nodded, although he raised an eyebrow at them.

Arthur blinked. "Wait, you wanted Merlin to go to Camelot?"

Hunith nodded. "I tried over and over to send him to Camelot last year, but he refused each and every time."

Arthur's mouth fell open and he turned to punch Merlin in his arm. "Why did you not want to come to Camelot?"

Rubbing his shoulder, Merlin pointed to himself. "Sorcerer."

Arthur's lips pursed. "I concede to that point."

Merlin gave him a grin and then nudged his shoulder into Arthur's. "Anyway, even if I had been in Camelot, our paths would probably never have crossed that frequently and you would not have had the pleasure of having my free education."

A scoff escaped those lips as Arthur shook his head. "Please, Merlin, you would have been unable to stay away from me."

It was Merlin's time to scoff. "I think I would have been able to stay away just fine. If anything I would have avoided you like the plague."

Arthur's lips parted in outrage. "If anyone would avoid anyone, it would be me avoiding you!"

They then started to argue about who was more avoidable, and totally missed the amused looks Gaius and Hunith shared.

* * *

 

"This shed..." Arthur took a step backwards (and out of the shed), gave the shed's exterior a look, and then stepped back inside. "It is considerably larger on the inside than it appears to be on the outside."

"A bit." Merlin kept his back to Arthur as his magic brought in more and more things to be stored for winter.

"A bit?" Arthur raised an eyebrow. "From the outside the width seems about arms-length, yet inside..."

"Magic," Merlin reminded with a point to himself.

Arthur pursed his lips. "Why have you not done the same thing with your house?"

"We do not need a bigger house." He motioned to the amount of dried and potted supplies stored within. "What we do need are considerable supplies to survive the winter." At Arthur's look, he fidgeted. "What?"

"I have decided to unite Albion when the right time comes." Arthur eyed him. "The Druid people, and all those with magic who wish to live in peace, will be treated with the respect they deserve." His blues bore a hole into Merlin. "I give you my word."

Merlin's eyes widened as he stared at the prat who, for the first time (in Merlin's eyes at least) truly looked like a future king. He realized that the blonde was waiting for some sort of answer, and he smiled and gave a little bow of his head. "I believe you."

Arthur's grin was quick and large before he cleared his throat and looked away.

Merlin's lips twitched, unable to stop himself. "Does that mean I should start calling you Your Highness from now, as practice?"

When Arthur returned his blues on Merlin, he wasn't as annoyed as the raven-haired lad would've hoped, in fact, he was grinning teasingly himself. "Only if you want to start walking on your knees."

"Excuse me?" Merlin gaped.

"Do you know how to walk on your knees, Merlin?"

There was something distinctively naughty with that question, and Merlin blinked and just stared at Arthur for a couple of seconds before he shook his head. "No."

Arthur smirked. "I shall have to teach you then."

An eyebrow raised high, almost Gaius-like.

Arthur cleared his throat and looked away. "Well, carry on then. With your work."

Amusement began to color through Merlin once more at the imperious tone. "Of course, Your Highness."

Once more, Arthur merely grinned wide and cocksure.

Once more, Merlin had no idea how to react.

* * *

 

King Agravaine's people returned, this time with a warlock. Merlin realized that since they were unable to find Arthur and his group despite all of their searching they'd begun suspecting sorcery, and had brought a warlock to combat magic with magic. He tried to play unconcerned, but the warlock was powerful, Merlin could feel the magic within him and he was worried that he would feel the magic surrounding those from Camelot. He especially grew worried when the warlock zeroed in on Arthur, but soon after the warlock approached Arthur it became apparent that he, in fact, did not suspect a thing.

It was due to Merlin's watchful gaze on the warlock and a flustered (and flummoxed) Arthur that the Ealdorean sorcerer realized the very second that it dawned on Arthur exactly what Merlin's spell had done. The blonde froze before he turned puce and fixed a glare on Merlin that promised him all sorts of hell. Arthur had then said something to the warlock leaning in close to him, had turned and stormed away, and wouldn't come near anyone until the guards from Camelot had left and disappeared from sight.

But when they were gone be made himself seen... and heard.

"YOU MADE ME A WOMAN!"

Merlin didn't even look up from where his magic was arranging the supplies.

Arthur slammed the door to the shed shut. "You said that when people who weren't from Ealdor looked at me they saw someone half-starved, unremarkable and unfamiliar! You did not say that you made me look like a "buxom beauty with 'child-bearing' hips!'"

"Did he really call you that to your face?" Merlin couldn't keep the amusement from leaking into his tone. "He truly was enamored with you. I am surprised he did not offer to take you away from the drudgeries of this life and instead set you up happily in Camelot." When all he got was silence, Merlin gazed over his shoulder at the humiliated expression on the boy's face and snickered. "He did offer."

"This is not humorous!" Arthur glared.

"If it makes you feel any better, Gaius' fake bosom is far more buxom than yours."

Arthur paused. "Is Gauis a woman a well?"

"Everyone who came with you has had their gender reversed." Merlin gave a little shrug. "Guinevere looks like a sweet boy on the verge of adulthood, Elyan like a distrusting, somewhat scary woman, Morgana looks somewhat like Gwaine but more muscular, Gaius is a matronly, well-padded woman, and Leon is about the prettiest female I have ever seen." He returned to what he was doing. "To be honest, I am surprised the warlock fancied you over Leon."

"Excuse me?" Arthur sounded highly insulted as he stormed towards Merlin. "What do you mean Leon is the "prettiest female"? Are you saying he is prettier than me?"

"He makes a prettier girl than you do." Merlin gave a nod, not at all taking Arthur's insult seriously. "You have your... attributes... going for you, but Leon's face is angelic." He then yelled when Arthur punched his arm, hard. "Ouch! What was that for!?"

"For lying to your future king." Arthur glared at him. "There is no way that Leon would make a prettier woman than I would!"

"If it makes you feel any better, I am sure that Gwaine would be a prettier woman than Leon."

"No. That does not make me feel any better!" Arthur's eyes flashed with warning. "You stupid warlock!" And with that he turned and left, slamming the door behind him.

Rubbing his throbbing arm, Merlin blinked as he stared at the closed door in confusion. "Was it something I said?"

* * *

 

The day Morgana married Gwaine the women of the village wore black. They were quite in mourning due to the fact that they knew that they would never get the handsome rake back. It was more than obvious that for Gwaine there as only Morgana, and that that was a good thing too because she would probably do something worse than murder should he even think of straying. The newlyweds moved into Gwaine's dwelling, and Morgana began to boss him almost immediately, something which he seemed to enjoy, despite how much he denied it to Merlin later.

Gaius must have been suffering from that "empty nest feeling" Hunith kept uttering on about, because the man spent most of his time out of the house working.

That meant that Arthur spent more and more time with Merlin. The warlock had given up on trying to convince everyone that he was not buggering the poor boy, he had a feeling that the village just wouldn't believe it. In their eyes, he'd probably taken Arthur against every surface of the village, and he just didn't have the strength to try and rectify that misunderstanding anymore.

He mostly didn't have the strength because he had to save it all to handle Arthur, who had been in a crappy mood ever since he'd found out that anyone who didn't live in the village saw him as a "buxom beauty".

"When I take back Camelot you will become my manservant."

Merlin sent a look over at Arthur as they lay on the hill behind Merlin's home and watched the clouds together, something they had been doing more and more often lately. "Not even the Court Sorcerer? Manservant?"

Arthur's lips pursed. "You do not deserve to be Court Sorcerer."

Yep, he was definitely still irked about being seen as a girl by outsiders.

"Anyone who think that Gwaine and Leon are better looking than I am is definitely daft."

Merlin blinked in confusion. "I do not think they are better looking than you."

"Yes, you do." Arthur turned his head to glare at him. "You said so yourself."

Merlin's mouth fell open. "I never said that!"

"Yes you did!" Arthur's glare darkened. "By saying that Gwaine and Leon would make prettier women than me, you insinuated that you think they are better looking than I am!"

What-? Okay. Merlin could somewhat see how Arthur would think that. "But I do not think that they are better looking men than you are."

Arthur opened his mouth, closed it, and narrowed his eyes at Merlin suspiciously. "Are you merely saying that because you want to be Court Sorcerer?"

Merlin laughed and turned back to look up at the sky. "No. I think you are quite handsome."

There was silence before Arthur cleared his throat and looked up at the sky once more as well. "Well, of course you do. You are not blind."

Rolling his eyes, Merlin chuckled and reached out to run his fingers over Arthur's golden hair, not even realizing what he was doing.

Comfortable silence fell between them.

To say Arthur's mood improved greatly after that was an understatement.

* * *

 

Merlin stared at his mother in confused shock. "I think I heard you wrong. Please repeat that."

Hunith wrung her hands together. "I know it must come as I shock to you that Gauis and I-."

"No, I realize that you care for each other. I am happy for you." Merlin shook that part away without care. "What I do not understand is why you two are "bequeathing" Gaius' house to both Arthur and I."

"We want you to be happy, as we are." Gaius spoke up. "I want to marry your mother, and while you are in no way asked to move, we suspect that you will like to take the opportunity to live with Arthur. I know that he would be happy if you did so."

Arthur's mouth opened and closed, a blush dark against his skin.

Since the blonde was going to be no help in dissuading Hunith and Gaius that they were in no way a couple, Merlin realized it would all rest on his shoulders. "Arthur and I are not seeing each other romantically."

Hunith's eyes widened and a worry tinted her expression. "Have you two broken up?"

Gaius frowned at Arthur with a raised eyebrow.

Merlin sighed. "We-."

"We are fine." Arthur stood. "Thank you Gauis, Hunith." He kissed the woman on his cheek. "I will make sure he does not strip in public ever again."

She smiled at him. "I know you will." She then hugged him tightly. "I know that you had a mother once, but I would love if you would think of me as one as well."

Arthur gulped and hugged her back. "Thank you."

Gaius nodded in approval as he clapped Merlin on his back fatherly.

Merlin just wasn't getting what was happening.

Arthur winked at Gaius and then grabbed Merlin's hand. "I am going to give Merlin a tour of the house."

"I have already seen it!" And yet Merlin was dragged out anyway. He stuttered in confusion as Arthur dragged him all the way towards his house. "What are you doing? Why would you tell them that? They will now never be convinced that we are not-hey!" He stumbled as the door was opened and Arthur flung him inside. "What the-?"

"Merlin, shut up." Arthur grabbed Merlin and pushed him against the wall as he kicked the door closed and then kissed Merlin, effectively shutting up the shocked warlock.

As his stomach gave summersaults and his heart throbbed in his throat, Merlin's eyes widened as suddenly - oh - realization hit. He gripped the blonde by his shirt and pulled him closer as he kissed him back.

Chuckling into the kiss, Arthur angled his mouth to kiss Merlin harder, to invade his mouth with his tongue and lay claim to him. "Idiot sorcerer."

"Arrogant prat."

Arthur's laughter was hoarse as he bent to his knees.

Merlin's eyes widened. "Wh-what are you-?"

"I am going to teach you what it means to walk on your knees." Arthur's smile was sin as he yanked Merlin's trousers down. "I can take you apart with one blow."

"I can take you apart with less than that." Merlin's lips curled in a cheeky smirk as his eyes flashed gold. "It is, after all, my duty to educate you..."

Outside, magic erupted in the skies in a dance of color and beauty.

* * *

 

"It is not manly to try to back out of a wager." Morgana raised an eyebrow at the men as they all watched Merlin and Arthur both walking oddly the next day. "I was the only one who put down money on them both."

"I cannot believe that I lost." Leon pouted; he'd lost by betting (quite faithfully) that Arthur would top. "I was so sure."

"So was I." Elyan was pouting as well.

"My money was on Merlin, now I cannot take Bessie out," Will bemoaned. "I was so sure I would win the wager that I made plans!"

"I should never have bet against my wife," Gwaine grumbled.

"True," Morgana agreed. "Now you know better." She then turned to Lancelot, who (by not having entered into the wager) had been trusted to hold the purse with the money everyone had wagered.

"A bet fairly won." Lancelot handed it over with a smile. "What do you plan on doing with all that?"

Morgana smirked. "It is not all mine. I went in half-half with a silent partner."

Everyone's eyes widened.

Gwaine leaned forwards. "You never told me this! Who is your 'silent partner'?"

At that very moment Hunith appeared, all sweet and lovely. She noticed the pouch in Morgana's hands and her smile grew less sweet and more cunning. "Is that our winnings?"

"Yes!" Morgana grinned evilly as she looped an arm around Hunith and they began to stroll away, shocking every male there. "What should we buy with it?"

The women shared evil giggles and continued on.

The men, eyes still wide, turned to each other in shock and felt sorry for Merlin and Arthur for having such conniving and somewhat scary women in their lives.

* * *

 

"Okay, I will let you be Court Sorcerer."

Merlin laughed, his hands to his stomach as they stared up the ceiling of their bedroom, which had become transparent so they could gaze at the stars. "You are so magnanimous, milord."

"I know."

They shared smiles before their gazes returned to the sky as Merlin pointed out different constellations.

"I never had time to learn the constellations as a child." Arthur stared up at the stars. "Father always thought my time was best served learning to be a warrior worthy of being king."

"Well, I'll make it my mission to educate you on all you've missed out on," Merlin promised.

Arthur turned to stare at him and smiled. "Just do not let it go to your head."

Merlin grinned brightly. "I cannot promise anything."

Chuckling, Arthur gazed back up at the sky. "One day, Merlin, I will be King, and you will bumble your way through your duties as my Court Sorcerer." He smirked. "How can I not appoint you in that position considering my own sister has seen it in vision?" Arthur was taking his sister's magical revelation (even if she had only told her husband and her brother) fairly well. Then again, Arthur was living with a warlock, so to react badly would have been quite hypocritical of him. "At least her power is proving useful. Otherwise we never would've known that the men were placing wagers about who... about which one of us... dominates."

Merlin snickered at Arthur's struggle with that last sentence. "True."

"Imagine if we had not known." Arthur shook his head at the thought. "At least we knew it advance and took the precautions to confuse them." He grinned. "Let them try and figure out which it was!" He pillowed his hands behind his head. "Maybe my sister is not as evil as I originally believed."

Merlin chuckled and had a sneaking suspicion that Morgana mightn't have warned them out of the goodness of her heart, but he let Arthur live with that belief. He merely leaned his head against Arthur's, smiled when Arthur's hand found his, and gazed up at the sky together.

One day Arthur would regain his throne and would rule a united Albion as its much-beloved king, all with Merlin at his side as his long suffering (and ever cheeky) Court Sorcerer and Consort.

But for right now, they were just youths on a bed, staring up at the stars, teaching each other the meaning of love.


End file.
